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Online display advertising appearing internationally on bbc.com delivers more positive impacts on brand perception1 and bigger shifts in behaviour2 than the same ads appearing on competitor websites, a new BBC Advertising study proves.
The BBC Advertising study compared reactions towards a Toyota ad running on bbc.com with reactions to the same ad appearing on three other international news sites: cnn.com, nytimes.com and huffingtonpost.com. BBC Advertising then worked with comScore to track the actual behaviour of users exposed to online display advertising on bbc.com – and compared this to the behaviour of those exposed to ads on other news sites or on social networks.
The results prove that the more positive reaction to the bbc.com environment is reflected in a more positive perception of the online display ads that appear on the site – and also that deeper engagement with bbc.com increases the effectiveness of online display advertising in driving purchase behaviour.
Online display advertising: bbc.com environment boosts perceptions1
- bbc.com users rate the website more positively than users of other websites rate those websites
- The bbc.com advantage covers a wide range of key measures including ‘trustworthy’, ‘engaging’ and ‘would be proud to use’
- Toyota advertising was rated more positively when appearing on bbc.com than when it appeared on competitor sites. This included key measures such as ‘high quality’, ‘makes me feel safe’ and ‘good future investment’
Online display ads: tracking purchase behaviour2
- Users spend 32% longer on bbc.com pages than on those of other news/information sites and social networks
- Compared to other news sites, users exposed to ads on bbc.com were 46% more likely to visit an advertiser’s website, and conducted 40% more searches for the advertiser’s brand
- Compared to social networks, users exposed to ads on bbc.com were 49% more likely to visit an advertiser’s website, and conducted 45% more searches for the advertiser’s brand
- These improvements in driving users towards advertiser purchase were particularly marked for the Toyota advertising featured in the earlier perception tests


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Media Contacts: Barbara Fornasiero, EAFocus Communications, 248.260.8466, firstname.lastname@example.org; Stephanie Salvadero, French-American Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Chapter, 313.701.8294; email@example.com
Detroit, Mich. — Nov. 4, 2015 — The French-American Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Chapter (FACC Michigan), the Alliance Française de Detroit/French Institute of Michigan and the Alliance Française de Grosse Pointe will host a Beaujolais Nouveau Day celebration on Thursday, Nov. 19 at The Stand Gastro Bistro in Birmingham. Beaujolais Nouveau is a red wine produced in the Beaujolais region of France. France recognizes Beaujolais Nouveau Day on the third Thursday in November and celebrates the first wine of the harvest with great fanfare, including fireworks, festivals and parties. Under French law, the first wine of the season is released at 12:01 a.m., just weeks after the wine’s grapes have been harvested.
The event includes a Georges DeBoeuf Beaujolais Nouveau wine bar and a French-inspired menu. Cedric Ballarin, FACC Michigan president and a vice president in the Michigan headquarters of France-based Faurecia, shared his enthusiasm for the upcoming event.
“We look forward to a festive Beaujolais Nouveau Day, celebrating with our friends of the Alliance Française de Detroit/French Institute of Michigan and the Alliance Française de Grosse Pointe, and also welcoming guests who share our love of French food and wine and want to learn more about French-affiliated organizations in SE Michigan,” Ballarin said.
The FACC Michigan Beaujolais Nouveau Day celebration is from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Stand Gastro Bistro at 34977 Woodward Avenue in Birmingham and includes a French-themed strolling dinner of French appetizers, cheeses, charcuterie and desserts. Tickets are $45 for FACC Michigan and Alliance members and $55 for non-members. To purchase tickets, register online. For questions, please contact Stephanie Salvadero, executive director of FACC Michigan, at firstname.lastname@example.org.
About the French-American Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Chapter
The Michigan Chapter of the French-American Chamber of Commerce (FACC Michigan) is a member of the French-American Chamber of Commerce – the oldest bilateral chamber of commerce in the United States, comprised of 21 chapters in major cities across the nation representing more than 5,000 member organizations. The FACC is a non-profit, non-political organization dedicated to the development of commercial relations between French and American businesses. Learn more at www.faccmi.org.

domain: news


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Some of the season’s breakthrough pics aren’t on movie screens, they’re on Amazon.com.
The giant e-tailer may seem an unlikely candidate for innovative storytelling, but the five film shorts in “Amazon Theater” are, by and large, compelling.
From Blair Underwood as a man caught in an unending race against time to Chris Noth as a father whose daughter teaches him the fun of being the tooth fairy, the shorts make the most of their mini size with interactive features, beguiling premises and high energy.
Designed specifically to help Amazon sell products from its library, “Amazon Theater” should by all rights be crass and simplistic.
But the growing field of promotional webisodes is proving to be just the opposite.
Online shorts for BMW helmed by big names like John Woo and Guy Ritchie were solid actioners, and Jaguar recently released its own high-octane mini pics, animated by “Aeon Flux” creator Peter Chung.
Amazon essentially let Tony Scott and other helmers from RSA USA create any short they wanted — so long as Amazon could integrate its products into the plot and provide links to purchase them.
There were no development execs, no test screenings and no last-minute reshoots.
In an age of corporate filmmaking, product placement is starting to look like the purest of intentions.


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Sales slump and job cuts at America's giant department stores as shoppers go online
American department stores suffered a Christmas slump, figures have revealed.
Macy's, Kohl's, Barnes & Noble, Sears and JC Penney all issued disappointing festive shopping updates – hit by lower footfall, the growth of online shopping and a spending shift towards eating out and travel.
They are similar problems faced by British retailers.
Next unveiled its trading update earlier this week, and the fashion chain's lower-than-expected sales sparked fears for High Street rivals which issue updates on crucial Christmas trading next week.
Slow: Macy's, like many retailers on both sides of the Atlantic suffered a dissappointing Christmas
In the US, Main Street icon Macy's, which owns department store Bloomingdales, reported a 2.1 per cent decline in sales in November and December in stores open at least a year.
It also unveiled plans to close 68 stores which had experienced disappointing sales and was cutting 10,000 staff.
Rival Kohl's said sales were volatile during the festive season, even though it saw strong sales on Black Friday and the week before Christmas.
Like-for-like sales fell 2.1 per cent, forcing it to cut its profit forecast for the year to January.
Sears too reported weak trading, with same-store sales in November and December crashing by 13 per cent. Its trading update came with the announcement it was closing 150 stores.
JC Penney Co joined its Main Street rivals by revealing store sales had fallen 0.8 per cent in November and December.
Bookseller Barnes & Noble said its sales were down 9.1 per cent over Christmas, causing it to cut its outlook for the year.
Shares in Nordstrom, which is yet to report, took a hit following the news.
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There's a family from Whittier, California whose Christmas card is going viral . . . and turning their daughter into a hero.
The Seawright family's card features the parents holding a sign that says "Excited." One of their adult daughters and her fiancé have a sign that says "Engaged" and another daughter, her husband, and their kid have a sign that says "Expecting."
Then there's the third adult daughter. She's alone with a sign that just says, "Emily." And since a LOT of people can relate to Emily, she's becoming a viral sensation . . . and her tweet of the card has over 300,000 likes


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New PDI center, more online photos are key to sales
Phillip Orange, general manager at Team Mancuso Powersports South in Houston, can’t figure out the inconsistency that pre-owned sales bring in the winter months. But all he needs to do is look at the dealership’s bottom line to know that despite the retail sales fluctuation that pre-owned can bring, the segment has helped 2013 get off to a strong start.
In January, for example, the metric store sold nine pre-owned units. That was followed by February sales that nearly hit 30. But Orange and his fellow GMs at the five other Team Mancuso Powersports dealerships in the Houston area are excited about the future of pre-owned. The ownership group’s decision to open a PDI center for pre-owned bikes was just one of the reasons Powersports Business selected Team Mancuso as a member of the inaugural Power 15.
Located within 30 minutes of each dealership, the PDI center launched at the beginning of the year. All stores — four metric and two Harley-Davidson — send their pre-owned inventory to the PDI center, where they receive a thorough inspection. The shop even has a separate green room of sorts, where the units have their website photos taken.
“We take about 30 pictures of each motorcycle, and those are the pictures that our customers see on our website, on CycleTrader.com, Craigslist, and a bunch of other different avenues,” Orange said. “I’ll tell you what, it really has taken off. We don’t cut any corners on our used bikes. If the tire’s half worn, we put a new tire on it. If it’s questionable on anything, we do it. Every bike gets an oil change.”
Certified pre-owned bikes — estimated at 90 percent or more of the inventory at Mancuso — get a 30-day money-back guarantee, along with a three-month, 30,000-mile warranty for free.
And with a pre-owned inventory that expands to about 300 bikes between the six stores, there’s usually a perfect fit for anyone interested.
“If I don’t have it at my location, I find it somewhere else,” he said. “We have such a great representation of pictures on there that I can literally sell a bike from my showroom that my customer never touches or feels. And he’s only seen it based on what’s on the computer. So we do really well in the used market.”
The photos play an important role, Orange points out. Because they still have so much pre-owned inventory to ramp up through the PDI center, not all bikes shown on their website TMPSouth.com have the plethora of photos. It’s not uncommon for the units that have come out of the PDI center to have more than three dozen photos.
Orange admits that the abundant, high-quality photos aren’t necessarily an original idea.
“There’s a pre-owned auto dealership here in Houston called Texas Direct Auto, and they sell about 3,000 cars a month,” he said. “They provide an experience. When you walk into the store, it’s nothing but kiosks everywhere. The cars are there on site, too, but you shop on the computer first. That’s where our idea of building a room to take pictures of our motorcycles came from. Their place is sick, and we want to be a carbon copy of what they are in the motorcycle world.”
Orange figures that the photo element gives the dealership a leg up on others who aren’t in the game yet when it comes to properly portraying their inventory online.
“Go to websites. It’s pretty comical what you see for photos. Everyone’s stuck back in the Stone Age of 1995, from the way they do it to the lack of inventory on their site,” he said. “When the bike’s sold, they don’t take them off.”
Orange said his dealership has a goal of placing a sold sign on the bike on the website with 48 hours of the sale, and removing it 10 days after the sale.
“We want people to see that things are selling,” he said.


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Are you a future bride? Check out Igantius before the doors close
Ladies, you have three days to ransack Ignatius Mascarenhas' boutique in Port Warwick.
Called Ignatius, the upscale women's clothing store is closing after 25 years. (You can read the whole story about Ignatius on SavvyShopperToday.com).
Here's what the bargain hunters need to know:
- Everything in the store is marked down by 75 percent or more.
- Wedding dresses that were once $500 to $600 are now $99.
- Brighton purses priced between $150-$200 are now $35-$40
- Mother-of-the-bride dresses that were once $450 are now $112
- Racks of clothing with brand names such as Lacoste are marked down to $15
The store also has jewelry and shoes. Mascarenhas also is selling all of the furniture and decor in the store at rock bottom prices.
The store is located at 2110 William Styron Square in the Port Warwick section of Newport News. Store hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today, Sept. 2 through Saturday, Sept. 4.
For up-to-date messages on local deals and freebies, text DPFREE to 71593.


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With Hurricane Sandy still hundreds of miles offshore and the high winds and heavy rainfall expected later today, many people took advantage of a chance to pick up a few last-minute items today.
Grocery and drug stores, hardware stores and some banks were open today, as were places selling coffee and food. Still, the bulk of businesses paid attention to the state of emergency and, like the schools, closed for the day.
In Summit, on Springfield Avenue near High Street, a power line came down and police and firemen were on the scene stretching yellow tape around the area.
Waters of the Passaic River and Salt Brook were rising, but slowly.
Check back later for an update of the situation.
Send photos of the storm to email@example.com.


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In cooperation with the six gaming operators, the Labor Affairs Bureau of Macau (DSAL) is holding six job matching sessions that provide residents with more than 1,400 jobs.
Job matching sessions will be held from March 3rd to 26th. Job vacancies cover different departments of activities involving front-line, intermediate, and specialized technical jobs namely: catering manager, chef of different level, bartender, customer service staff, room cleaning and housekeeping officer, security guard, cyber security analyst and strategic analysis assistant manager, among others.
Macau’s tourism bureau said last month that up to 3,000 hotel rooms were out of use due to the current labor shortage, but based on the industry’s observation, the hotels are not the only ones affected, with travel agencies in Macau aiming to recruit bus drivers. Other associated businesses – such as retail and F&B – are also requiring manpower.
Over the three years of the pandemic, Macau saw its non-resident workforce lose 40,000 workers, with 10,000 of these coming from the hospitality industry.


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Where the Dollars are Going in B-to-B
Events rebound, marketing services show potential. But can publishers respond?
Regardless of an economic turnaround and the emergence of new e-media services, many b-to-b publishers are facing the fact that some ad dollars have disappeared and are not coming back. “A lot of money has left the b-to-b space, probably permanently,” says Ted Bahr, president of BZ Media. “Clients that spend $6,000 per month on print might spend $25,000 per month on paid search listings.”
The good news is that many b-to-b publishers are uniquely positioned to serve clients directly in new channels—particularly marketing services—provided the publisher understands the new role its playing and puts appropriate resources behind it.
And while paid search may be stealing ad dollars, it also opens up a new opportunity for publishers, according to Bahr. “Clients are spending on custom content,” he adds. “I don’t think this is just because it is in vogue. What is driving it is the need to improve their Web site’s organic returns on search engines—the custom content is an effort to improve their SEO.”
Another hidden sponge for media dollars is personnel. “It takes people to analyze the effect of their online marketing efforts, not to mention the gathering, care, and nurturing of leads,” says Bahr. “And now with social media opportunities the amount of work one could do to optimize these opportunity streams is almost limitless.” But it takes people to do it. Years ago a marketing department might be three people and now it’s 10.”
Jeff Giesea, founder and former CEO of FierceMarkets, recently launched a company called BestVendor that facilitates social recommendations among buyers and acts as a customer acquisition agent for vendors. “We’ll make money by helping vendors find new customers,” says Giesea.
Seed funding has come from Giesea and Peter Thiel, one of the first investors in Facebook. The company so far has five employees and plans a series A venture capital round this fall.
Initially, BestVendor will focus on business software applications in the technology startup and creative and design verticals, companies with up to 100 employees. Right now, users can sign up and share their favorite software and, in turn, will be able to view the same from others. “You share a few applications that you use and love and in exchange you see what others use and love,” says Giesea. “It’s a give to get community. It will take some time to build up our data set.”
Longer term, as the data set grows across different business verticals and product categories, the platform will allow users to better navigate their “find and evaluate” purchase phase by browsing what other people and companies are using an recommending. Eventually, BestVendor will have data spread across small to medium-sized businesses in virtually any vertical.
Media Follows The
Purchase Decision Journey
Digital technology advancement has made the buyer the hunter, according to Tony D’Avino, executive vice president at Questex. “An emerging objective for the marketer is to build an audience that actively participates in the discovery of their value,” he says. “So the dollar is increasingly being targeted at tactics that support that objective. Next generation marketers are building Web sites based on audience interests and relevant content …. well beyond the first generation digital product brochures.”
But while educational marketing objectives are opening new content marketing and service partnerships, traditional product enhancements that contribute to building audience for clients are just as important, says D’Avino. “As an example—how do we create more interactive mechanisms in print, or on the show floor? The use of QR codes and personalized URL’s are proving to be effective in driving audience to desired information. Platform, creative, and messaging consultation based on our on-going audience insights is proving to be very valuable for clients.”
The mission is changing. “We understand that our core value proposition is shifting from marketing message distribution to audience insights, audience attraction (to our marketer’s content) and demonstrated buyer-seller connections,” says D’Avino.
Many publishers find themselves taking on the role of agencies. “One of our strategies is to help mid-size clients produce content that competes with the big boys in their market,” says Tom Harper, president of NetWorld Alliance. “Our approach with larger clients is to offer them an easy way to go through the same AE and expand their relationship with us to take advantage of our industry knowledge as well our connection with our audience. Their current agencies usually can’t compete.”
Harper says that most new dollars come from other budgets within the same clients. “We’re starting to tap into money earmarked for research, events, video and even dollars that previously paid the salaries of internal producers,” he adds.
Coming into 2011, Meister Media, which serves the agriculture industry, expected 69 percent of total revenue coming from print, 9 percent from e-media and 17 percent from events (with the rest coming from ancillary services). “But as the year is shaping up events are exploding and e-media is growing faster than we expected, particularly around marketing services,” says president Michael DeLuca. Last year, Meister Media built a video studio as part of its marketing services push and today does custom video and pre-roll advertising for clients.
Still, DeLuca says publishers need to protect the core products that probably brought the client to the publisher in the first place. “I also feel a strong need to insulate our editors from advertising content,” DeLuca says. “The reason why companies are coming to us is because of the market knowledge and the credibility we have, which is embodied in the editors.”
Events Return To Form
Pre-recession, events were touted as the cornerstone of b-to-b, boasting significantly higher profit margins than print (and significantly more revenue than e-media). However, as travel budgets collapsed, so did publisher events. The good news is that many publishers are starting to see event dollars rebound.
“We’ve chosen to throw more of our investment toward face-to-face events where you can build a brand for your trade show or conference,” says Bahr. “Successful event brands often have a high barrier to entry, can survive Internet disintermediation and have excellent margins. BZ Media will get more than half of its revenues from shows in 2011.”


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Outsource Manufacturing – Made in San Diego is winner at Tech America High Tech Awards
Posted: November 03, 2011 by Lance McCann in: Blog Posts
SAN DIEGO, Calif., November 1, 2011. Outsource Manufacturing – Made In San Diego, announced today that it was awarded Tech America’s prestigious High Tech Award for Contract Services at the 18th Annual Tech America High Tech Awards. As the leading voice representing the U.S. technology industry, TechAmerica takes pride in recognizing outstanding regional companies at its annual awards ceremony.
Ted Fogliani, CEO of Outsource Manufacturing – Made In San Diego, commented,
“Outsource is committed to San Diego, and especially to the High Tech industry. Our employees work hard to be a good supplier and a good partner with our customers, and this recognition is one sign that we are achieving our goal of Extraordinary Performance. Tech American does a lot for the local business environment and we appreciate their recognizing us, as well as the other nominees and finalists. Outsource Manufacturing – Made In San Diego is proud to be in the San Diego community and we hope this award helps to get the word out that manufacturing does exist in San Diego.”
This year numerous local San Diego companies were nominated for their technological or business innovation; exceptional products or service; product marketplace validation; perseverance in the face of adversity; and community involvement for consideration in nine categories, including Software; Internet and Web Commerce; Computers and Related Products; Communications Products and Services; SaaS/Cloud; Semiconductors & Analytical Instrumentation; Clean Technology; IT Service/Contract Services; and Outstanding Emerging Growth.
“This year, we received an overwhelming amount of nominations from some tremendous companies,” said Kevin Carroll, regional vice president, TechAmerica. “The plethora of nominations is not only a testament to the individual companies, but to the rapidly growing San Diego High-Tech community. Selecting the winners will certainly not be an easy task.”


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Terry Cochran didn’t know it at the time, but growing up on a mint farm helped prepare him for his career.
Mr. Cochran and his brother run Norwest Ingredients in Royal City, Wash., a 15-person company that makes mint and other oils used in gum, confection and a range of oral care products from mouthwash to toothpaste. They buy mint oil from farms around the country and process it to ensure it’s safe and of high quality before selling it in giant barrels that cost more than $10,000.
He and his brother started the company in 1998 and started exporting shortly thereafter. They’ve gained enough credibility that they count toothpaste giant Colgate among their customers. But as they grew, getting financing from private banks was a problem.
“As we grew and more and more of our sales were overseas, our local banks began to get a bit uneasy about it because as you know once it’s overseas it can be hard to get paid,” Mr. Cochran said. So the company turned to the U.S. Export-Import Bank and has been using Ex-Im loan guarantees for its customers ever since. Their sales have increased, on average, about 20% per year since they began exporting.
Norwest Ingredients is like the many other small firms that rely on the Ex-Im Bank when private banks aren’t willing or able to help them expand abroad. The Ex-Im Bank has supported 1.2 million jobs in the last five years, and those jobs could be at risk if Congress doesn’t reauthorize the Ex-Im Bank by the end of September.
Mr. Cochran doesn’t want to see that happen. If the Ex-Im Bank doesn’t get reauthorized, his sales will suffer.
And some of the company’s suppliers, including the employees and sons who work on mint farms like Mr. Cochran did as a kid, will suffer.
“Exporters for Ex-Im” is a blog series focused on the importance of the Export-Import Bank to manufacturers. To learn more or to tell Congress you support reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank, visit http://www.nam.org/Issues/Trade/Ex-Im-Bank.aspx.


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BOSSES at John Lewis are planning to axe a number of branches, jobs as well as bonuses as it battles to survive.
The cost-cutting drive was revealed in a letter to staff, according to the Evening Standard.
It comes on banking group Virgin Money, which also owns Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank, has said it will cut 300 jobs, and Topshop owner Arcadia is looking to slash 500 office jobs.
John Lewis, which also includes Waitrose, has 80,000 staff.
At the beginning of the coronavirus crisis it warned that all of its 50 department stores were unlikely to reopen.
A total of 24 stores have reopened, while plans to reopen a further 10 were announced today.
It's unclear which branches face closing, but John Lewis plans to update staff - who are partners in the business - before revealing the locations.
Most read in Money
According to The Standard the letter written by chairman Sharon White, said: “Regrettably, it is likely that there will implications for some Partners’ jobs. We are in active discussions with landlords about ending some leases and renegotiating others to make the terms more flexible.
A John Lewis spokesperson said: "The reality is that we have too much store space for the way people want to shop now and we have shared this with our Partners.
"As difficult as it is, it is highly unlikely we will reopen all our John Lewis stores. However no decision has been made and any details would be shared with Partners first by the middle of July."
In March, John Lewis revealed annual profits slumped 23 per cent to £123million and cut its annual bonus to 2 per cent - the lowest since it was launched in 1953.
Which John Lewis shops have reopened?
- High Wycombe
- Cribbs Causeway, Bristol
- Milton Keynes
- Peter Jones, London
- Tunbridge Wells
To reopen on July 13:
- Trafford Centre
Opening on July 16:
- Oxford Street
John Lewis isn't alone in closing shops, rivals including Debenhams have announced some branches will never reopen.
High Street staples including Laura Ashley, Cath Kidston, Oasis and Warehouse have also gone into adminstration and won't be reopening shops.
Experts predict that it's going to get worse with up to two million workers expected to become unemployed over the next few months as the true impact of the Covid-19 outbreak is revealed.
Money Saving Expert expert Martin Lewis warned a million people could lose their jobs in the next six weeks after major companies announced thousands of redundancies.
Job losses since June 2020
MANY firms have announced job cuts since June as a result of the coronavirus lockdown. These include:
- Shoe chain Aldo collapsed into administration with five stores permanently closed
- Victoria's Secrets plunged into administration, putting 800 jobs at risk
- Fashion chain Quiz put its shop business into administration in , putting 82 stores at risk
- British Gas owners cuts 5,000 jobs, over half of which will be in management
- Airbus announces 1,700 job losses. It expects cuts to be made by summer 2021
- TM Lewin says it will close all 66 of its UK shops, putting 600 jobs at risk
- Harveys Furniture goes into administration resulting in 240 immdiate job losses and puts another 1,000 at risk
- Upper Crust plans to make 5,000 out of its 9,000-strong workforce redundant
- EasyJet says it plans to close hubs at Stansted, Southend and Newcastle, putting 4,500 jobs at risk
- John Lewis is reported to be planning to cut jobs and permanently close department stores
- Harrods has said it is consulting on cutting 680 jobs
- Virgin Money, which owns Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank, will cut 300 jobs
- Topshop owner Arcadia has announced plans to cut 500 office staff
- Post Office is expected to cut 2,000 jobs as a result of coronavirus
"I'm afraid to say, due to the change in furlough coming on August 1st, I think hundreds of thousands of people - possibly a million - could face redundancy in the next six weeks," he told viewers of his Money Show on ITV.
The Treasury forecasts 10 per cent unemployment and company closures when the furlough scheme finally comes to and end in the autumn, while a poll of businesses owners predicts that a quarter of furloughed workers are likely to lose their jobs.
From today, employers can bring back furloughed staff part-time but from August they will be expected to pay their National Insurance and pensions contributions.
Harveys Furniture left staff stunned yesterday when they were told the company had gone into administration, a day after being brought back from furlough.


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As Bitcoin’s dramatic increase to over $50,000 a coin sparked a massive explosion in digital currencies and pervasive curiosity in blockchain-based technology, cryptocurrency exploded into the mainstream. Bitcoin’s price has remained been increasing and interest in cryptocurrencies has remained high, creating small business risks.
Is bitcoin, on the other hand, appropriate for small businesses? Before declaring that you would support bitcoin, there are some severe concerns to remember – both technological and realistic.
According to Business News Daily, small companies can be aware of bitcoin, and several blockchain entrepreneurs are attempting to move the room ahead. Before we start with risks, if you want to know about a platform that can help you with risk free trading then you should register yourself on this app and start simple trading.
Accepting Cryptocurrencies Comes with Certain Risks
Barriers in Terms of Technology
Accepting cryptocurrencies necessitates developing a digital wallet on a cryptocurrency platform, which can be technically challenging for small business owners who are inexperienced with the software. Cryptocurrency is a highly information-dense environment with a steep learning curve, challenging to navigate while still running a company.
“As things stand now, small companies, in particular, will have a hard time accepting cryptocurrencies,” said Serge Beck, CEO of the blockchain platform organization Optherium. “Even though technological barriers aren’t present, the uncertainty of crypto values deters entrepreneurs from investing in digital currencies.”
Optherium, which is set to introduce its initial coin offering (ICO) in June, has already developed a forum to address these issues. The Optherium B2C website, as it is known, allows customers to transact in their favourite cryptocurrency, whereas sellers will adopt any money, digital or fiat, they like.
“What Optherium’s B2C network does is it enables buyers to pay in any currency they choose, and sellers to support any currency,” Beck said. “At first, we’ll embrace 50 cryptocurrencies and a broad range of fiat currencies, allowing us to execute 100,000 transactions per second in near-real-time.”
While Optherium has its cryptocurrency, it is not required to use the network. Keepers of Optherium’s token, on the other hand, will benefit from much lower fees while transacting on the website.
The Volatility of Digital Currencies
The most danger associated with digital currency is market instability, which renders their worth incredibly volatile. To give you an example, when Bitcoin was first released in 2009, it was worth pennies, but by December 2017, it was worth $19,172 per coin. One Bitcoin is already valued at around $7,000 in the current market.
Areiel Wolanow, the managing partner of consultancy company FinServ Experts, said, “You would have to create some agreement for converting your cryptocurrencies back into your currencies of record.” “Since cryptocurrencies are so risky, you’ll want to do something rapidly and daily.”
Small companies may protect themselves from this instability by using a merchant processing provider like Bit Pay or Coinbase, which instantly converts digital money into cash. Payments for cryptocurrencies are rendered in near real-time for the actual value of the coin through these platforms. According to Wolanow, the only rationale for a company to hang onto cryptocurrencies is a risky gamble yet playing with its revenue stream.
The Safety of Digital Currencies
The currency is not entirely safe about the fact that cryptocurrency purchases remove cyber threats such as stolen credit card numbers. There is currently no way to deter cybercriminals from gaining access to users’ wallets fully. Unlike paper money such as the US dollar and the Euro, virtual currencies are not supported or protected, making them especially risky.
Any blockchain businesses, on the other hand, are trying to improve this. For example, Coinbase stores fewer than 2% of its customers’ digital currencies digitally and ultimately insures damages in the case of a data breach. Both fiat currency held on Coinbase is certified by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) up to $250,000, much as traditional banks.
These safeguards do not extend if your wallet is compromised; it is also your duty to secure your private account, so you can be assured that your assets are protected if the business is hacked.
You will improve the security of your accounts by enabling multifactor authentication, securing and maintaining your secret keys, and backing up your data regularly. In addition, businesses are focusing on strategies to address wallet protection.
According to Beck, Optherium uses a biometric authentication tool to allow wallet entry, which detects a person depending on their facial structure, significantly minimizing the potential of a criminal to rob someone’s belongings effectively. Users may also use this tool to restore access to their wallet if they lose it.
Uncertainty Over Regulations
Another disadvantage to embracing blockchain being that the legal environment is likely to shift in the foreseeable future. Lawmakers are already drafting the rules that will regulate it. Regulations would almost certainly change after they are in effect, requiring company owners to remain adaptable.
“Since cryptocurrencies are so young, there’s a lot of doubt on how the government can iron out the kinks in its enforcement,” Poelma said. “By the time you learn this, new legislation might have been enacted. [Cryptocurrency] would not be widely embraced until companies are certain that they understand how to record profits and pay the appropriate taxes on cryptocurrency purchases.”
Any business owner who accepts bitcoin must be willing to adjust and respond to developments in the law as a consequence. As cryptocurrency acceptance grows and new challenges and complexities emerge, these developments are likely to continue soon.


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Iskandar Malaysia has witnessed a steady increase in interest from the Japanese, due to its proximity to Singapore and conducive environment, revealed United Malayan Land Bhd (UMLand).
According to its group chief executive officer Datuk Charlie Chia Lui Meng, the group’s Iskandar project, for instance, has been getting a lot of Japanese interest which subsequently translated into sales.
He said the group sold 75 units in its landed properties in Sapphire 8, Bandar Seri Alam to Japanese buyers.
“From our purchase profile, they (Japanese) are actually young tenants. They are going to bring their family here. Most probably because of better environment and is closer to Singapore,” said Chia.
UMLand’s Medini Lakeside project also saw Japanese buyers snapping up 30 percent out of the 50 percent released for sale.
UMLand Medini Lakeside Development Sdn Bhd Senior General Manager Mazufi Abdul noted that it was a good sign for the group if the Japanese continue to be interested in acquiring properties in Iskandar.
Meanwhile, Chia earlier inked five agreements with five new partners namely, ONYX Hospitality Group, Ascott Ltd, Regus, Samsung S-1 Security Solutions Korea and MCAT Box Office.
The agreements could raise the group’s status as a lifestyle developer that offers quality and luxury products in all its projects including UMCity Medini Lakeside.
“We are very excited that these international partners are bringing brands that are a class of their own, to help turn the concept of UMCity Medini Lakeside into a reality,” he said.
“Upon completion in 2018, it will have a premium corporate office tower, two international branded serviced residences, a hotel, lakeside shopping centre and a wide range of business suites.”
Metro Homes offers for sales on both its corporate office tower and its adjacent Medini Viridea serviced apartment.


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Kraft Heinz Names Carlos Abrams-Rivera As New CEO
The Kraft Heinz Company has declared that Carlos Abrams-Rivera will take on the role of the new CEO, effective from January 1, 2024.
He will succeed Miguel Patricio, who has held the position of CEO since 2019 and Chairman of the board since 2022. Patricio will transition to a non-executive chairmanship on the board beginning January 1, 2024.
During his time as CEO, Patricio steered Kraft Heinz through a period of significant shifts in consumer preferences, unprecedented global challenges, and consistent growth in financial performance.
Jack Pope, the lead director of the board, expressed gratitude for Patricio’s leadership and emphasized his role in the company’s turnaround.
The succession from Patricio to Abrams-Rivera reflects the board’s deliberate planning for leadership continuity. The board is confident that the company will continue to thrive under Abrams-Rivera’s leadership as CEO.
Currently serving as the Executive Vice President and President of the North America zone, Abrams-Rivera is responsible for overseeing operations in the US and Canada.
He will retain his position as President of the North America Zone and additionally assume the role of President of Kraft Heinz with immediate effect.
Patricio hailed Abrams-Rivera’s strategic and innovative mindset as ideal for driving Kraft Heinz’s progress. He acknowledged Abrams-Rivera’s consistent delivery of strong results in various business sectors since joining the company in 2020.
Patricio is confident that Abrams-Rivera’s experience across different markets aligns well with the company’s growth ambitions.
He expressed his privilege in entrusting Abrams-Rivera with the leadership of the company, foreseeing continued growth in the future.


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Google is paying a premium for Motorola Mobility, the recently spun-off device maker from Motorola proper. But for the $12.5 billion it's paying, Google likely is more interested in Motorola's patents than its phones.
San Francisco's commuter railway left mobile phone services untouched during a closely watched protest Monday, but for many commuters that didn't matter because they were locked out of the railway system altogether.
A former employee of Flextronics, an electronics manufacturer, was found guilty of stealing at least $1.3 million in company funds and received a prison sentence, California's attorney general said on Monday.
At a cloud computing conference in New York in June, a number of speakers pointed out that the cloud is moving past the hype stage and is beginning to deliver tangible benefits to organizations. These improvements include increased flexibility and ag...
Apple and its lawyers have, perhaps inadvertently, misled the judge of a Düsseldorf court by filing flawed evidence of the similarity between the iPad 2 and Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablets based on an inaccurate picture, an investigation by Webwere...
Google's $12.5 billion purchase of Motorola Mobility will land it a vast portfolio of patents, but the legal obstacles facing its Android operating system are far from over, legal experts said.
Google's only big blunder in the creation of its otherwise excellent Google+ social network has been a flawed policy on what users are allowed to call themselves. Everybody hates the policy. Even Google hates it.
Adobe on Friday acknowledged that as many as 80 bugs in Flash Player were reported by a Google security engineer as it defended its decision not to spell out details of the vulnerabilities.
Google continues to argue that a damning e-mail in its battle with Oracle shouldn't be shown to jurors because it was confidential and intended to be privileged communication with an attorney.
Analysts disagreed today over the impact Google's proposed $12.5 billion acquisition of Motorola Mobility will have on the dynamics between Android and Apple's iOS.
The Storage Networking Industry Association this month announced the release of a specification that can be used to test the performance of consumer (client) solid-state drives (SSDs) regardless of the vendor.
Last week BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion (RIM) held a first-of-its-kind BlackBerry developer event, called the "BBM Hackathon," in which a group of talented mobile software developers packed into New York City's swanky Ace Hotel for a few days, ...
School is just about to start, and if you have a kid heading for college you're probably grimacing at the thought of all those bills. You're on your own when it comes to soaring tuition and housing costs, but there are ways to spend less on your stud...
Google's planned acquisition of Motorola Mobility will force the search giant into a whole new set of relationships with mobile operators, which could benefit the carriers but also create tension.
IT professionals looking for new jobs need not fear that the recent spate of bad economic news will hamper their job searches. IT staffing industry executives agree that IT hiring in the U.S. will remain robust through the end of the year, bucking re...
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About 170 million people plan to celebrate Halloween this year, according to a survey by the National Retail Federation.
Consumers also are expected to spend more, too. The average person will spend $80 on decorations, costumes, and candy, up from $72 last year. Total Halloween spending is expected to reach $8.0 billion.
More than one-third of consumers will look for new ideas in a store and nearly one-quarter will consult with friends and family.
Other inspirations: 15 percent will check Facebook for inspiration, 7 percent will review Pinterest photos, and 33 percent will search online.
Of those buying or making costumes, the average person will spend $28 this year, up slightly $26 in 2011.
Of the people celebrating Halloween this year, more than
half will decorate their home or yard, up from 49 percent last year, and 45
percent plan to dress in costume, also up from last year’s 44 percent. More
than one-third will throw or attend a party and 33 percent will take children
trick-or-treating. In addition, 15 percent will dress up their pet.
Despite record spending figures for this year’s Halloween holiday, one-fourth of U.S. consumers say the economy will impact their Halloween plans. Most say they’ll spend less overall, 84 percent, while others will make a costume instead of buying one, 18 percent, and more than one-third will buy less candy.


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On the 16 December 2019, Uganda’s Ministry of Tourism Wildlife and Antiquities and the Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration revealed that the number of mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) in the 340 square-kilometre transboundary protected forest have increased to 459 from an estimated 400 in 2011. When you visit mountain gorillas in the wild, you’re not only contributing to their survival as creatures of the woods, but to those living on its periphery.
The aptly-named Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is home to over half of the world’s population of mountain gorillas and is a popular trekking destination to see them. You’ll need waterproof boots, long trousers, socks pulled up over the hems to prevent those pesky biting ants from getting in and a gorilla permit to visit them. In a bid to attract visitors back to Uganda, the permit fee costs just $400 instead of the usual $700 (valid until the end of March 2021). If you have the means and can travel responsibly, there’s never been a more affordable time to tick off this bucket-list experience.


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Twitter sues Elon Musk to force him to purchase company
Musk has repeatedly stated that he does not believe Twitter's claim that roughly 5% of its active users are bots
Twitter sued Elon Musk to force him to purchase the social media giant for $44 billion after Musk stated last week that he plans to walk away from the deal.
The case will determine whether Musk must purchase the social media platform or if Twitter violated its requirement to give the Tesla CEO data about fake accounts, known as bots, on the platform.
Musk has repeatedly stated that he does not believe Twitter's claim that roughly 5% of its active users are bots.
After news about the lawsuit broke, Musk responded with humor again.
"Oh the irony lol," he wrote on Twitter.
Twitter's attorneys wrote in a letter Sunday that Musk's "purported termination is invalid and wrongful."
"The Agreement is not terminated," the attorneys argued. "Twitter demands that Mr. Musk and the other Musk Parties comply with their obligations..."
The company also said it "will continue to provide information reasonably requested by Mr. Musk."
If Musk does not follow through with the purchase, it could be disastrous for Twitter. The comapny's stock closed at $34.06 on Tuesday, far below Musk's offer of $54.20 a share.


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Hague Fasteners acquires new site and reveals plans for major Fastener Manufacturing Facility expansion.
With 46 years of West Midlands Special bolting manufacturing history behind them, Hague Fasteners has announced exciting plans to expand its business operations in Willenhall, into a new custom refitted Fastener Manufacturing facility.
Claire & Jon Hague, the husband and wife team that run the half century old Wolverhampton Family business, sealed a deal on the purchase of a new manufacturing facility at the end of January. The new site is just a short distance from their existing Watery Lane factory.
A significant redevelopment of the new facility is now underway that will see the business relocate in the 2nd quarter of 2017. The new site is almost three times the size of the existing operation and enables major new plant investment, whilst also creating a number of new jobs.
This is great news for the local area that has already seen a number of other Fastener manufacturers close down since the turn of the year.
Hague Fasteners have enjoyed 10 years at their current location. The last decade has seen continued Year on Year growth as they continually strive to stand out in a crowded marketplace by offering the very best in Customer Service and total integrity.
The exciting move to a brand new, custom refitted facility enables a doubling of production capacity that will see even faster production times and a continued commitment to reliability.
“We are proud to see our success continue with the purchase of our new site. The complete re-design and renovation works of our new headquarters is now underway enabling us to move forward with the next exciting phase in our growth as a dominant force in High Integrity Special Fastener manufacturing.”
Jon Hague, Managing Director
It also represents a significant vote of confidence in UK manufacturing. Hague Fasteners also intends to continue their investment in bringing apprentices through from local schools to encourage students to move into the industry.
“when Hague stepped away from trying to compete with inferior imports 12 years ago, we had to reinvent the business and prove the model. We know from Customer feedback that what we do is very special in a saturated market. Our customers know that reliability and integrity are what’s important and it is these morals that have driven us to personally invest in a much improved infrastructure. This ensures The Hague name continues to be the first name where service and quality is valued above cheap imports sold under the guise of quality assurance. When quality truly matters we’ve proven that British manufacturing wins every time, the future is indeed bright at the dawn of many more exciting years ahead”.
Claire Hague, Co-Owner
Hague Fasteners were founded in 1971. They have set the standard in high class customer service and total integrity in every aspect of service and supply.


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NEW DELHI: Mobile video and media advertising firm Vdopia today announced the appointment of three senior hires to strengthen its leadership team for the US and European markets.
The company has appointed Farzad Jamal as Vice President, Europe, Jason Shulman as Senior Vice President, Sales (at Vdopia’s San Francisco office) and Narayanan Iyer as Senior Director of Finance, the company said in a statement.
When it comes to video advertising, a new era is being unleashed. Keeping that in mind, we provide custom ad solutions that will maximize monetization, leading to superior brand performance. We know that it is important to treat each screen with equality to amplify brand reach. Our technology provides unprecedented value to large brand advertisers and publishers, allowing Vdopia to deliver industry-leading impressions. We have effectively connected over a hundred major brands and advertisers to their audiences, ensuring maximum revenue from ad campaigns. (Vdopia)
Jamal will be based in Vdopia‘s London office and will be responsible for expanding Vdopia’s business across Europe. Previously, he was at the OpenX (London) where he has been Commercial Director of EMEA for the past two years.
Shulman has joined the firm as Senior Vice President, Sales at the company’s San Francisco office. He will be responsible for growing North America media and programmatic revenue for the company.
As Senior Director of Finance (a newly created position), Iyer will be based in Fremont and is responsible for company’s finances. He has worked with Rocket Fuel, Mint and Intuit. Prior to Vdopia, he was working with Quri (San Francisco), a retail intelligence company.
“Together, they will helpÂ Vdopia build on the momentum we have been gaining. We are thrilled to welcome them to the team,”Â Vdopia co-founder and Chief Business Officer Saurabh Bhatia said. (Source:PTI)


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We continue to hear more about the "re-shoring" of American manufacturing. Apparently, U.S. manufacturers are finding more reasons to bring production back home. Raj Batra, president of Siemens Industry's Industry Automation division, and Helmuth Ludwig, CEO of Siemens Industry, both talked about it during the company's latest Automation Summit last month.
Ludwig pointed to the non-agility of global supply chains, as well as increasing parity of worker wages around the world, as a couple reasons to bring manufacturing closer to home.
What are you seeing in your supply chain? Is your company bringing any overseas production back home? How about your customers or suppliers?